Adhesive applicator



Dec. 20, 1938. c. S,.STEPHANO,

ADHES I VE APPLI CATOR Filed May 11, 1937 INVENTOR v Consiiznizne 8.Slephurzo d ATTORNEYS ZUifnesses Patented Dec. 20, 1938 UNITED STATESADHESIVE APPLICATOR Constantine s. Stephano, Elkins Park, Pa.

Application May 11,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ad-' hesive applicators andhas particular relation to improved mechanism for aiding in securinguniform distribution of the desired amount of adhe-" sive over thesurface to which it is to be applied. My invention is particularlyadapted for use in association with adhesive applicators in continuousrod cigarette making machines, although it is to be understood that itmay be used in other in associations. In continuous rod cigarette makingmachines the tobacco particles are fed on to a moving strip of cigarettepaper and then passed under a rod-forming tongue which shapes andcompresses the particles of tobacco into a cylinthe conventionalcigarette. As the particles are thus formed into a rod the cigarettepaper is partially wrapped around the rod, and shortly after the rodemerges from the end of the tongue paste is applied to one edge of thecigarette paper which is then wrapped about the rod until it overlapsthe other edge of the paper, forming a complete paper-encased rod. Therod is passed through a suitable dryer causing the paste to adhere andis then cut into short sections of the proper length to form cigarettes.

A frequent cause of difiiculty in the making of continuous rodcigarettes is the application of an insufiicient amount of paste to thepaper by the paste wheel. At the present time an insufficient amount ofpaste is revealed only by'the breaking of the cigarette rod or theopening of the cigarette rod or the cigarette in the catcher belt of themachine, or by an inspection of the cigarettes if the inspector happensto be present at the time the defect occurs. The result is thatfrequently the defect is not discovered until it has existed for sometime and often a considerable number of cigarettes of insuflicientstrength have been 40 placed in packages. The mechanical stressesassociated with the removal of the cigarettes from the packages or themoistening of the cigarettes at the time of smoking, causes thecigarettes with insufficient adhesive to open.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the dimculties occasionedby the application of insufllcient adhesive as outlinedabove and toprovide an improved device whereby the application of the desired amountof adhesive can be readily obtained.

A further object is the provision of an improved signalingdevice of theabove character which will indicate automatically and instantaneouslywhen an insumcient amount of adhesive has been applied to the cigarettepaper, but which will be drical rod of slightly smaller circumferencethan 1937, Serial No. 141,988

unaffected by variations in the moisture content of the paper itself.

My invention contemplates the utilization of the differences inresistance to an electric current between the plain cigarette paper andcigarette paper to which an adhesive has been applied, and also thedifferences in resistance between cigarette paper to which varyingamounts of adhesive have been applied to control an .electrical circuitthrough the medium of an electric valve, such as an electronic tube.

For a fuller understanding of the invention reference should be had tothe accompanying drawing which shows a plan view of the adhesiveapplyingmechanism of a conventional continuous rod cigarette making machine, andalso a diagrammatic representation of the electrical circuits and theconnections to the adhesive applicator.

My invention is particularly adapted for use with the adhesiveapplicator of a continuous rod cigarette making machine and for thisreason is' illustrated in this association. However, it is to beunderstood that my invention may be used in association with differenttypes of adhesive applicators.

In the drawing the numeral I indicates a paste wheel applying a layer ofpaste 2 to the surface of the cigarette paper 3 adjacent one lateraledge thereof. For the purpose of clarity the cigarette paper and thelayer of paste are shown in exaggerated form. The paste wheel i is of aconventional type employed in continuous rod cigarette machines, thepaste being applied to the periphery at the point 4 and the paste wheelrevolving in the direction of the arrow so that the adhesive from theperiphery of the wheel is applied to the. surface of the paper as shown.A scraper 5 preferably engages the periphery of the wheel beyond thepoint of contact with the cigarette paper so as to removethe excessdried paste therefrom.

In the usual type of cigarette rod making machine the paste wheelengages the surface of the paper adjacent one lateral edge thereof afterthe continuous rod has been almost completely formed, the rod being fedbeyond the wheel and the lateral edge with the adhesive applied theretobeing folded around the rod until it overlaps the otheredge of the paperand is adhesively held in position. In the accompanying drawing thepaper is being fedtowards the left so that the portion to the right ofthe paste wheel has no adhesive applied thereto, whereas the portion toa casein content and when applied to the paper the moisture penetratestherethrough and the resistance of the paper at that point to anelectrical current is reduced, or stated in another' way, theconductivity of the paper moistened with the paste is increased. As theamount of paste applied to the paper is increased the resistance isfurther reduced, and, likewise, as the amount of paste is reduced theresistance is increased, the amount of paste and the resistance being ina general way inversely proportional. In car.- rying out my invention Itake advantage of this variation in the resistance to control theoperation of an electrical circuit through the medium of an electronictube.

I have found, however, that the moisture content of the paper which maybe affected by the humidity of the air or the moisture content of thetobacco, also affects the resistance of the paper, and I provide meanswhereby the circuit will not be responsive to variations in resistanceoccasioned by variations in the moisture content of the paper itself.Thus I provide a suitable source of current, such as the battery 8, andconnect the negative side thereof by means of leads I to a contact 8which engages the under surface of the cigarette paper at the point 3 ashort distance prior to-the point of contact with the paste wheel I. Thepositive side of the battery 6 is connected by lea'ds l8 and H tocontact l2 which engages the under surface of the cigarette paper at thepoint H a similar distance beyond the point of contact with the pastewheel I. The paste wheel engages the opposite surface of the paper .atthe point [5 midway between the contacts 8 and I2.

The dry cigarette paper offers considerable resistance to the passage ofan electrical current. If no paste is applied to the surface of thepaper 3 by the paste wheel I, the voltage drop between the contact 8 andthe point 15 where the paste wheel engages the paper will be the same asthe voltage drop between the contact l2 and the point I5. Howevenifpaste is applied to the paper by the paste wheel I the voltage dropbetween the contact i2 and the point 15 will be less than the voltagedrop between the contact 8 and the point [5, and as the amount of pasteis increased the voltage drop from the contact H to the point I5 becomesproportionately smaller.

Due to. the arrangement of the two contacts 8 and I2 in engagement withthe under surface of the paper before and after it engages the pastewheel, the resistance offered by'the paper itself, even though themoisture content thereof should vary, does not affect the relativepotential of the point I5. The only factor affecting the relativepotential of the point I5 is the amount of paste applied to the paper bythe paste wheel I. Thus if more paste is applied to the paper the point5r becomes relatively more positive. If

-less paste is applied it becomes relatively less positive or morenegative. This variation in the relative potential of the point I 5 istaken advantage ofto control an electrical circuit and for this purposeI provide a brush IS in engagement with the side of the paste wheel iand connected by means of a lead I! to the grid ll! of a three elementelectronic tube l8. The paste wheel I is formed of electricallyconducting ma.-

the left of the wheel'has the layer of adhesive terial and engages thesurface of the paper at the point i5 and thus the grid 18 receives itspotential or bias from the point I5 of the paper.

The plate and filament of the electronic tube, indicated at 20 and 2!,are connected so as to control the flow of current in an electricalcircuit. The filament 21 is lighted by being connected through leads 22and 23 to the secondary winding 24 of a transformer 25, while theprimary winding 26 of the transformer is connected by leads 2! and 28 toa suitable source of alternating current. The positive side of thebattery 6 is connected to the filament 21 by means of leads 29, 38 and3|, which connects at the central point of the winding 24 and thus hasconnection with the filament,

Disposed in the plate circuit of the electronic tube 18 is a sensitiverelay 32,.one end of the winding being connected by a lead 33 to theplate 28 and theother end of the winding being connected by leads 34 and35 to lead 28 which is connected to one side of the source of currentsupply. The circuit of relay 32 preferably has a fuse 36 disposedtherein as indicated. The plate circuit thus includes leads 21, 28, 38,and 3|, winding 24, leads 22 and 23, filament 2i, plate 20, lead 33;coil of relay 32, and leads 34, 35, and'28.

It will be seen that the greater the amount of paste applied to thecigarette paper, the more positive will be the bias of grid is, due tothe decreased resistance of the paper to which the adhesive is applied,with the result that a greater amount of current will flow in the platecircuit of the tube. On the other hand, as the amount of paste appliedto the paper decreasesthe positive bias of the grid l9 likewisedecreases, with the result that a smaller amount of current flowsthrough the plate circuit.

The sensitive relay 32 includes a movable contact '31 having anadjustable tension spring 38 tact 39 is connected by leads 44, 38 and 28to the lead 21 connected to one side of the course of current supply.The other side of the source of current supply is connected by leads 28,35

and to the electrode 46 of the neon tube.

The tension of spring 39 is adjusted by means of the thumb screw 40 sothat when the predetermined minimum amount of paste desired or a greateramount is being applied to the paper, sufficient current will fiowthrough the plate circuit of tube l8 so that the relay 32 holds theswitch in open position. When the amount of pasteapplied to the surfaceof the paper drops below the predetermined minimum amount desired, thecurrent flowing through the plate circuit decreases to such an extentthat the spring 38 overcomes the force exerted by the relay, closing theswitch to the position indicated in the drawing, and causing theoperation of neon tube 43, thus clearly indicating to the operator thatinsufficient paste is being applied to the paper.

,In using my improved adhesive applicator the spring 38 is firstadjusted to the desired tension so as to enable the operator todetermine when the quantity of adhesive being applied to the cigarettepaper falls below the desired predetermined minimum level, and thecigarette machine is then placed in operation. As long as the desiredamount oi adhesive is being applied to the paper, the potential; of thepoint l5 of the cigarette paper will be 'relatively'more positive withthe result that the grid IE! will have a relatively positive biascausing av suflicient amount of current to flow through the platecircuit of electronic tube l8 to operate the relay 32 and open fixedcontact 31. Neon lamp 43 accordinglywill not operate as long assufficient adhesive is being applied to the paper.

When the amount of adhesive being applied to the paper falls belowthe'desired amount, however, the potential of the point IS on the paperbecomes relatively less positive with the result that the bias of gridl9 becomes less positive reducing the flow of current in the platecircuit of the electronic tube l8. The tension of spring 38 is thensuflicient to overcome the pull of relay 32 with the result that thecircuit of neon tube 43 is closed, causing the tube to light and therebyindicating to the operator that insuflicient adhesive is being appliedto the cigarette paper. The operator can then investigate and determinewhat is causing the application of an insuflicient amount of adhesiveand take the necessary steps to correct the dimculty.

It will be seen that where it is desired to increase or decrease thepredeterminedminimum amount of paste to be applied to the paper, thetension of spring 38 should be increased or decreased to cause theoperation of the signal 43 at the proper time.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an improved adhesiveapplicator which is especially adapted for use in association withcontinuous rod cigarette making machines, and which facilimum level. Thecircuit arrangements will be similar to those illustrated with theexception that the relay controlling the signal will be.

caused to close the circuit when the flow of current in the platecircuit of the electronic tube rises above a predetermined level.

It should also be understood that instead of employing a signal in theform ofv a neon. tube 43,

other types of signals may be employed, or that instead of employing asignal the circuit may be connected directly to the adhesive feed so asto vary the flow of adhesive.

While my improved device is especially adapted ,for use in associationwith continuous rod cigarette making machines, it may also be used inassociation with other similar adhesive applicators.

I claim:

1. In an adhesive applicator for applying adhesive toa-moving strip ofpaper, an adhesive applying member disposed in the path of movement ofthe paper, a pair of contacts connected to the two poles of a source ofelectric current and positioned in the path of movement of the paperbefore and after the adhesive applying member, an electric circuit, andmeans electrically coupling said circuit to said source and to a pointin the path of movement of the paper intermediate the two contacts sothat the circuit is controlled by variations in resistance of theadhesive coated paper relative to the uncoated paper.

2. In an adhesive applicator for applying an adhesive to a moving stripof paper, an adhesive applying member formed of conducting materialpositioned in the path of movement of the strip of paper, a pair ofcontacts connected to the two poles of a source of'electric current andpositioned in the path of movement of the paper before and after theadhesive applying member, an electric circuit, and means electricallycoupling said circuit to said source and to the said adhesive applyingmember so that the circuit is controlled by variations in resistance ofthe adhesive coated paper relative to the uncoated paper. 3. In anadhesive applicator for applying ad hesive to a moving strip of paper,an adhesive applying member formed of conducting material and positionedin the path of movement of the paper on one side thereof, a pair ofcontacts connected to the two poles of a source of electric current andpositioned in the path of movement of the paper before and after theadhesive applying member and on the opposite side of the papertherefrom, an electric circuit and means electrically connecting saidcircuit to said source and to the the adhesive applying member so thatthe circuit is controlled by variations in resistance of the adhesivecoated paper relative to the uncoated paper.

CONSTANTINE S. STEPHANO.

